Warren Buffett's 11 Words That Make Berkshire Hathaway Stock a No-Brainer Buy

What has Warren Buffett been doing since he stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB)? In his first letter to Berkshire's shareholders, new CEO Greg Abel mentioned that Buffett still comes into the office every day. In an interview with CNBC on March 31, Buffett shed more light on his current focus.

After briefly talking with Buffett about his philanthropic work with NBA player Stephen Curry and the Glide Foundation, CNBC's Becky Quick asked him how things were different now that he is no longer at Berkshire's helm. Buffett confirmed that he goes to the conglomerate's headquarters every day. Quick then asked him, "Well, are you still involved in making investments at all?"

Buffett responded initially with 11 words. And I think those words arguably make Berkshire Hathaway stock a no-brainer buy right now.

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What Buffett's 11 words mean

So how did Buffett reply to Quick's question about whether or not he was still involved in investing for Berkshire? He answered, "Yeah, but I won't make any that Greg thinks are wrong." At first glance, Buffett's response might not seem to be a big deal. However, I think they reveal several important points.

First, Buffett let the world know that he's still actively involved in investing Berkshire Hathaway's money. He isn't coming into the office to merely read the newspaper and talk to staff. It sounds like the legendary investor is continuing to do what he has done for decades: poring through company regulatory filings and researching stocks to find potential opportunities to deploy Berkshire's hefty cash stockpile.

Second, Buffett affirmed his trust in Abel as Berkshire's new CEO. He declared that his successor is now the ultimate decision-maker on capital allocation. Buffett intentionally reinforced Abel's authority in an interview that the financial world was no doubt watching closely.

Third, his response provided insight into the new operating model at Berkshire. Major investment decisions now pass through two of the greatest minds in business. Buffett's track record over the last 60 years speaks for itself. Abel has been successful throughout his career. Buffett told Quick, "Greg covers more ground in a day than I would in a week, even when I was at my peak, let alone my present condition."

Why this makes Berkshire a no‑brainer buy

Do Buffett's 11 words really make Berkshire Hathaway stock a no-brainer buy? I think so.

It's important to remember that Berkshire has had a cumulative gain of 6,099,294% under Buffett's leadership from 1965 to 2025. That's 132 times greater than the cumulative gain of the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) during the period.

When Buffett announced his plans to pass the torch to Abel, many wondered if Berkshire's investing approach might change. We now know the answer to that question, and it's a resounding, "No." Buffett's investing strategy remains as relevant to Berkshire as it was before. That's great news for anyone considering buying the stock.

Buffett confirmed that Berkshire will continue to only buy stocks when their valuations are attractive. Berkshire will only buy when Buffett and Abel understand the businesses. This strategy enabled Berkshire to generate enormous returns in the past. It should work going forward, too.

There's a good case to be made that having the right investment strategy in place is more important to Berkshire than ever. Why? The conglomerate has more cash than any other company on the planet. At the end of 2025, Berkshire's cash position stood at $373 billion. Buffett told Quick a few weeks ago that the company's cash stockpile is "not much different than before." He added that "it's probably north of $350 billion in cash and Treasury bills."

The best of both worlds for Berkshire

Buffett's 11-word reply to Quick wasn't just a quip. It was a message to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders that they have the best of both worlds: the unparalleled investing wisdom of the "Oracle of Omaha" and the operational expertise and energy of Greg Abel.

With a time-tested approach still guiding its investments and a massive cash position, the company's future remains bright. Berkshire Hathaway is still one of the most reliable long-term picks on the market.

Keith Speights has positions in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.